The finals, held at York Hall, Bethnall Green, saw Bebbington up against 6ft 4in Earlsfield fighter Kirk Garvey, a British championship winner and multiple London Senior champion.

In a back-and-forth affair Bebbington, a semi-finalist at 75kg last year, was edged out but still won lot of plaudits.

An overdue return to three-three minute rounds has lately made the amateur code a far more edifying spectacle and, for the first time in the tournament’s rich 131-year history, every bout was televised exclusively live on BoxNation.

Macclesfield head coach Kevin Bradbury said: "Reaching the final of the senior Elite ABAE National Championships is a great achievement and especially the way Peter has performed to reach it.

"This has been a fantastic journey for him and the start of a new sporting chapter in his boxing career.

"Pete Bebbington has not only done himself proud but the club and the town of Macclesfield.

"He showedgreat courage and a fantastic attitude throughout the national championships and the results have shown how good he is, we can all move forward from here."